Car design has evolved significantly over the past 50 years, but whether that’s a good or a bad thing could be debated all day. Although the muscle-car look born in the 1960s has made a comeback in a number of today’s Detroit-made muscle, none are as authentic as the photo above. And that’s where Lingenfelter comes in, with its retro kit for the fifth-generation Camaro, which replaces the current car’s front end with a classic-style unit with optional hideaway headlights, based on the 1969 Camaro. READ MORE ››

The latest Mini John Cooper Works GP hatchback is supposed to be the quickest Mini ever made, despite it producing the same 211 hp from its turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder as any other John Cooper Works hatch. But, like all things, the title of fastest Mini comes at a price. If you want one of the 500 JCW GPs that are coming Stateside, be prepared to pay $39,950, or $8800 more than the last-generation GP. READ MORE ››

Toyota and its luxury-arm Lexus aren’t exactly known for their outlandishly styled and tuner-friendly lineups. But that hasn’t stopped them from bringing a handful of modified cars and trucks to Las Vegas for the 2012 SEMA show. The vehicles vary from a sport-tuned Lexus LS to a Tundra that looks like the inside of a Bass Pro Shop. Follow the jump to get a look at a Vegas lineup stronger in numbers than the Griswold’s last trip to the strip. READ MORE ››

There’s already Batman’s Optima and The Flash’s Forte Koup, but the latest superhero-themed Kia to be teased before the SEMA show is a Soul, which will be made to look something like the Green Lantern. These Justice League–inspired cars are the result of a 10-month partnership between Kia and DC Entertainment to raise awareness for DC’s We Can Be Heroes campaign against hunger in the Horn of Africa. The whole Justice League lineup will debut on October 30.

The SEMA show is all about modifying cars, but usually it is aftermarket tuners or manufacturers who get to have the fun. For the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge, Toyota has cut out the middlemen and handed the tools to four of its professional racing drivers to see what monsters they could create. They each choose a car and modified it in their own way. The cars will debut alongside each other at the SEMA show on October 30, and fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite car. The winning designer gets a $50,000 check to donate to the charity of their choice. Let’s just see if any of Toyota’s racers have a future in sketching cars.

If there is one place where it isn’t surprising to see a 600 hp Hyundai Elantra GT it’s SEMA. But even there, that’s pushing the envelope, not that we mind. Bisimoto Engineering and Hyundai teamed up to build this ludicrous Elantra GT because, well, they could. READ MORE ››

After some five years in service, Lamborghini’s Gallardo received a refresh ahead of this year’s Paris auto show. The newest droptop baby bull, however, was left behind in the annals of the Sant’Agata factory. Until now, that is, as Lamborghini has released photos of the the 2013 Gallardo Spyder, which gets the same subtle face lift as the coupe.

The latest Kia to be given the superhero treatment—after turning a Kia Optima into Bruce Wayne’s daily driver—will be the Forte Koup, which will take cues from The Flash. The West Coast Customs–modified Flash Forte is set to debut on October 30 at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. The Forte and The Flash aren’t exactly an ideal match, but considering Kia’s lineup doesn’t include anything capable of traveling at the speed of light—as is The Scarlet Speedster—there wasn’t really a better choice. These superhero-themed cars are being created as part of a partnership between Kia and DC Entertainment to raise awareness for DC’s We Can Be Heroes campaign against hunger in the Horn of Africa.